A combination of experimental and empirical studies investigate the assumption that musical expression is communicated in marimba performance through at least two channels – sound and action. A parallel is drawn between the bodily movements and gestures occurring with expressive musical sound, and gestures produced in concurrence with speech. Experiment 1 investigated the assumption that bodily movements and gestures can enhance or diminish the perception of expression and interest in solo marimba performance when presented audio-visually compared to presentation in audio-only form. Body movement is of particular relevance here as the expressive capabilities of the marimba are relatively restricted, and the movements required to play it are visible. Twenty-four musically-trained and 24 musically-untrained observers rated auditory-only and auditory-visual presentations of 20th Century solo marimba excerpts for perceived expressiveness and interest. Performances were given by a male and a female professional musician in projected (public performance expression) and deadpan (minimised expressive features) performance manners. As hypothesised, significantly higher ratings were recorded in response to projected performances than to deadpan. The hypothesised interaction between modality and performance manner was observed. Higher expressiveness ratings were observed for projected performances, and lower ratings were observed for deadpan performances when the presentation was audio-visual compared to audio-only. Higher interest ratings were observed for projected performances when the presentation was audio-visual. Musically-trained participants recorded higher ratings than musically-untrained observers upholding the final hypothesis. The results suggest that expressive functional bodily movements and bodily gestures play an important role in marimba performer-audience communication. Findings are relevant for both performers and educators. The aim of Experiment 2 was to investigate whether the results of Experiment 1, conducted in laboratory conditions, would generalise to an ecologically valid setting – a real concert. Experiment 2 investigated audience continuous self-report engagement responses from 21 participants collected using the portable Audience Response Facility (pARF). The stimulus material was a solo marimba piece performed in a live concert. A female musician performed two musically similar sections within the piece in two different performance manners (deadpan and projected). The second order standard deviation threshold method was used to analyse signal reliability. As hypothesised, mean engagement responses were greater in the projected sample than the deadpan sample. Reliable signal was only observed in the projected sample. Differences between deadpan and projected sample mean engagement responses may be due to expressive bodily movement from the performance manner manipulation; alternatively, serial order effect, necessitated by the concert setting, may be responsible. Such experimentation in ecologically valid settings enables understanding of audience perception of live music performance as it unfolds in time. Expressive qualities of marimba players���� bodily gestures, witnessed in several projected and deadpan marimba performances in the stimulus material from Experiment 1 were analysed in Study 1. Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) observation techniques, involving embodied thinking and kinaesthetic mirroring, enabled analysis of force. Force is the third element of motion additional to temporal and spatial aspects for which technology measuring only kinematics can not account. Effort-shape analysis and notation described and recorded expressive qualities of marimba players’ bodily gestures at specific locations on the musical score. With basic training, professional percussionist performers were able to understand and apply effort-shape analysis and notation. This inspired confidence that effort-shape analysis and notation has potential as an analytical tool for performers, teachers and students. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 and Study 1 lead to the formation of a theory of bodily gestures in marimba performance. This theory accounted for functional bodily movements and bodily gestures in marimba performance based on an embodied interpretation of the musical score. Combined experimental and empirical results indicate that bodily movements and gestures can enhance perception of expressive marimba performance and therefore warrant focussed attention in pedagogy and practice. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In/Retrospection is an audiovisual composition employing audio and video in an interactive form, written for a ten-piece orchestra, electronically generated audio, and video that interact with each other in a variety of ways. Not only is the use of overall interaction employed, but each element of the composition is given its own space to develop and take its place in the forefront of the listeners/viewers focus, thus shifting attention to various aspects of the composition. In this way, the composition is neither a video with accompanying audio or audio with accompanying video, but a combination of both forms. On top of this, the electroacoustic portion of the piece, employing both traditional orchestral instruments as well as electronically manipulated sounds and music, adds yet another level of interaction and attention-shifting mechanics to the composition. The constant shifting of the listener's/viewer's focus is the fundamental idea explored in In/Retrospection. / School of Music

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2008. / A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Psychology, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of . Includes bibliographies.

This was a descriptive study that was completed to gather information about musical backgrounds of orchestral concert attendees, and to determine if those attendees perceived relationships between past participation in school music programs and current patronage of classical music concerts. Participants completed a survey about their musical experiences from childhood through adulthood, as well as memories from school music programs. Results and analysis of the responses identified common themes among participants' childhoods, their schooling and private lessons, experiences that served as gateways to classical music listening, the aesthetic benefits that they found in concert attendance, and negative responses that they had to music participation. Results also found a large number of pieces and composers that participants recalled from past participation in school music programs. Findings from this study analyze why these experiences were important to participants and why they might serve as motivation to attend classical music concerts or continue to support them. Implications of this study include suggestions for professional music organizations, school music educators, professional classical musicians, and church music directors. Suggestions for further research based on this study's findings are also included.

Depuis les années 1970 et l’époque du disco, Montréal jouit d’une réputation de ville de fête où la dance music1 occupe une place importante de la vie culturelle nocturne. Autour de ce phénomène musical se sont développées des scènes qui s’inscrivent plus globalement dans une culture locale et transnationale. Les recherches sociomusicologiques portant sur la réception des musiques électroniques populaires underground, notamment la techno qui connait une popularité grandissante, sont peu nombreuses lorsqu’on sort du cadre des festivals, des free et des rave parties et qu’on s’intéresse aux pratiques urbaines « ordinaires ». Ce mémoire de maitrise s’intéresse à la scène techno montréalaise et à ses publics. Les enquêtes sur les pratiques culturelles ont tendance à dépeindre les publics comme homogènes, idée que vient nuancer ce travail. En considérant la techno comme une scène plutôt que comme une sous-culture, notre réflexion permet de rendre compte de la diversité des pratiques et des dynamiques qui existent entre les différents acteurs et objets qui constituent cet espace en mouvement constant. Afin d’en apprendre plus sur la façon dont la techno évolue à Montréal, nous fréquentons la scène depuis 2014 et avons entamé une période d’observation participante avant la pandémie. Nous avons diffusé un questionnaire sur Internet (n= 336). Au terme de quinze entretiens semi-dirigés réalisés à l’automne 2020, au cours desquels nous avons utilisé le procédé de photo-élicitation, nous avons approché les représentations sociales d’amateur-trices de techno sur la scène par l’image. Nous avons fait le même exercice avec la musique pour saisir le sens que les auditeur-trices lui donnent. Cette première percée au coeur de la scène techno montréalaise nous a permis d’interroger la définition de la techno, de cartographier ses lieux de diffusion, de découvrir les publics montréalais et leurs pratiques. Nos résultats nous amènent à penser qu’il n’existe pas une seule scène techno mais plusieurs. / Since the 1970s and disco, Montreal has enjoyed a reputation as a party city where dance music has been an important part of the cultural nightlife. Around this musical phenomenon, scenes have developed, being a part of a more global local and transnational culture. Socio-musicological research on the reception of popular underground electronic music - particularly techno, which is enjoying increasing popularity - is scarce when one leaves the framework of festivals, free parties and rave parties and looks at "ordinary" urban practices. This thesis focuses on the Montreal techno scene and its audiences. Surveys on cultural practices tend to portray audiences as homogeneous, but this work allows us to nuance this idea. By considering techno as a scene rather than a subculture, it allows us to account for the diversity of practices and the dynamics that exist between the different actors and objects that make up this constantly moving space. In order to learn more about how techno takes root in Montreal, we have been frequenting the scene since 2014 and began a period of participant observation prior to the pandemic. We distributed a questionnaire on the Internet (n= 336). At the end of fifteen semi-structured interviews conducted this fall, during which we used the photo-elicitation process, we approached the social representations of techno fans on the scene through images. We have done the same exercise with the music to grasp the meaning that the listeners give to it.This breakthrough in the Montreal techno scene allowed us to question the definition of techno, to map its places of diffusion, to discover the Montreal public and their practices. Our results lead us to believe that there is not one techno scene but many.

Texas has a rich tradition of Early Music ensembles that dates back to 1969. However, there is little reliable information based on statistical data collection and analysis concerning Texas Early Music consumers. Little is known about why they attend Early Music performances or other important factors that affect the Early Music industry. Through the use of an extensive survey and accompanying statistical analysis, this study answers many questions regarding Early Music consumers in the State of Texas. This study collected demographic and psychographic data in January 2020 about the Early Music concert-going public in three major Texas cities - Dallas, Austin, and Houston. Other factors were identified in two primary areas: audience characteristics and ticket pricing practices.